Lahore: A Lahore High Court (LHC) division bench on Thursday granted interim bail to former Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) member of the provincial assembly (MPA) and film producer Ahad Malik’s daughter Ayesha Malik after Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Major (r) Mubasharullah told the court that she did not kidnap her Filipino maid’s son and the SHO and investigation officer (IO) of the Defence-A Police Station were found guilty of playing foul by interfering in the case.
“SHO Attique Dogar and IO Zulifqar have been suspended and an inquiry initiated against them” the DIG said in a report submitted by him in court. The courtroom was crowed by lawyers when the bench consisting of Chief Justice Ijaz Ahmad Chaudhry and Justice Shahid Hameed Dar was hearing arguments of the parties. Ayesha claims to be Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Member of the National Assembly (MNA) and Punjab CM Shahbaz Sharif’s son Hamza Shahbaz’s third wife.
Ayesha claimed that she was victimised because she told the public that Hamza was not accepting her as his wife. An interesting situation arose when the CJ expressed surprise on seeing Aftab Farrukh, who is one of the family lawyers of the Sharif family, appearing in court to defend the maid. “Mian Saab, what are you doing here? Will you appear in this case,” the CJ asked on which Farrukh replied in positive.
Farrukh said yes he will defend the maid because a foreigner was tortured and it not a good thing by any standards. On this the CJ asked, “Is there any medical certificate that may testify the torture? A law officer of the Punjab government spoke that the medical test was not done. Pleading for cancellation of Ayesha’s interim bail, Farrukh said she not only tortured her maid servant Loyre-Bcog but also kidnapped her son Joseph and demanded Rs 2.1 million as ransom money after a domestic dispute.
To this, the chief justice said what is the reality of a ransom allegation, which was made after six days despite the fact that the abductee was found after 24 hours? Ayesha’s counsel Azam Tarar told the court the Filipino lady owed Ayesha Rs 2.1 million and she had only demanded that money, as she had given to her as advance payment for service as maid and later the maid had taken some loans.
Tarar said instead police tortured Ayesha in custody on instruction of the CM who was annoyed by Ayesha’s true disclosure about Hamza.When asked about the proof of the torture, Tarar said her client could not reveal her hidden body parts where police tortured her. Tarar said his client was receiving threats from various quarters and her life was in danger so she be given police protection. On this, the court ordered the IGP to give protection to Ayesha.
Separately, both the SHO and IO of the Defence-A Police Station were suspended for charging Ayesha under wrong sections. Sources said that DIG Mubashirullah held the two cops guilty for charging Ayesha under wrong sections of the Pakistan Penal Code. Sources said that according to the inquiry report, the aforesaid cops added section 365 (kidnapping) and arrested Ayesha but later charged her under section of kidnapping for ransom and also added section regarding threatening anyone in the same case.Sources claimed that Mubashir also held the cops responsible for giving undue favor to the Filipino maid of Ayesha. Sources said that DIG Operations Ghulam Mehmood Dogar and DIG Investigations Ali Amir Malik in light of the inquiry report suspended two cops until further orders. – PT
